# An Influence of Birth Weight, Gestational Age, and Apgar Score on Pattern Visual Evoked Potentials in Children with History of Prematurity

## TL;DR

This study shows that preterm children have different visual brain responses compared to full-term children, influenced by birth weight, gestational age, and Apgar score.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific perinatal factors that correlate with visual evoked potential outcomes in preterm children.

## Key findings

- P100 wave amplitudes positively correlate with birth weight, gestational age, and Apgar score in preterm children.
- P100 latencies negatively correlate with Apgar score and gestational age at certain electrodes.
- Preterm children show significantly different P100 amplitudes and latencies compared to term-born children.

## Abstract

Purpose. The objective of our study was to examine a possible influence of gestational age, birth weight, and Apgar score on amplitudes and latencies of P100 wave in preterm born school-age children. Materials and Methods. We examined the following group of school-age children: 28 with history of prematurity (mean age 10.56 ± 1.66 years) and 25 born at term (mean age 11.2 ± 1.94 years). The monocular PVEP was performed in all children. Results. The P100 wave amplitudes and latencies significantly differ between preterm born school-age children and those born at term. There was an essential positive linear correlation of the P100 wave amplitudes with birth weight, gestational age, and Apgar score. There were the negative linear correlations of P100 latencies in 15-minute stimulation from O1 and Oz electrode with Apgar score and O1 and O2 electrode with gestational age. Conclusions. PVEP responses vary in preterm born children in comparison to term. Low birth weight, early gestational age, and poor baseline output seem to be the predicting factors for the developmental rate of a brain function in children with history of prematurity. Further investigations are necessary to determine perinatal factors that can affect the modified visual system function in preterm born children.